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After outage, Henderson County authorizes targeted siren upgrade and a lightning alerting unit
Summary
Following a late-December outage that left portions of the county siren network inoperable, EMA Director Kenny Garrett persuaded the Fiscal Court to authorize a targeted upgrade from Federal Signal Safety and Security (one-time cost $11,075; $6,300 annual renewal) and purchase of one lightning alerting siren for $2,500.
Henderson County Fiscal Court authorized an upgrade to the county’s emergency-siren network on Jan. 13 after a late-December power failure left some sirens inoperable.
EMA Director Kenny Garrett told the court that a battery failure during storms prevented some sirens from sounding and that interim measures restored service that evening. He said an inspection found battery failure in the shared system (previously linked with the hospital) and that the system was isolated and the battery replaced on Jan. 5. Garrett described the county’s current siren configuration as an “all or nothing” system that activates every location regardless of where a threat is occurring and said he is seeking a system from Federal Signal Safety and Security that can target alerts to affected areas.
Garrett outlined the cost: $11,075 for the software and computer to implement the targeted system, a $6,300 annual software-renewal fee, and an optional lightning alerting siren for $2,500. Judge/Executive Brad Schneider said the court could transfer contingency funds to EMA’s budget to cover the purchase. Magistrate Puttman moved to authorize the purchase of the upgrade and one lightning siren; Magistrate Southard seconded. The motion passed by voice vote with all present voting in favor.
Garrett said the targeted system should reduce complacency that can arise when all sirens activate for every threat and will allow alerts to be confined to potentially affected areas. The county will arrange procurement and funding transfers following the approval.
